Iditarod 2011 Musher Banquet

On the Thursday before the race starts, all the mushers gather in Anchorage and draw their starting numbers from a mukluk.  We were invited to the banquet by Wattie McDonald from Stonehaven, Scotland. 

We had taken our Scottish flag to the race last year, and I got several pictures of him as he went past.  This year, one of our neighbors invited us to one of his fundraisers.  When we met him I got his autograph and I gave him copies of all the pictures I shot. 

Clan Donald

The banquet was at the big convention center... there were at least 1500 people there.  For us it was fun to see some of the mushers up close and personal.  Sitting at the next table was 4-time winner Martin Buser... and nearby was everyone's favorite DeeDee Jonroe. 

After dinner each musher goes up on stage and, after they draw their number, get to say a few words.

The girl holding the mukluk for Wattie's draw is a Make A Wish patient... she also got to be an Iditarider at the ceremonial start.

Wattie draws

Wattie announces he's #38

Current champ Lance Mackey laughs at remarks from Jamaican Newton Marshall as he waits to go onstage to draw his number.

At the banquet, I took copies of several of my photos and got the mushers to sign them.  I even got Lance Mackey's autograph. 

And before we left, we got a photo of Scott with Martin Buser, from Big Lake.